Thinking about art objects and their socio-economic significance in contemporary capitalism

Pascale Bédard, Professor in Sociology of Arts and Culture (Université Laval)

This event focused on how we can think about works of art as objective realities and the result of creative practice, but also as commodities or counter-commodities. It offered a conversation based on the following proposition: works of art have a complex and nuanced relationship with the commercial world, which also has significant consequences for the social integration of artists' activities. Indeed, artists seek to reproduce their economic life while maintaining a practice based on a different set of goals. Moreover, in the context of contemporary capitalism, where the values of authenticity and creativity triumph in the markets, artistic work questions the notion of vocation and its social use. By grasping the classic categories of commodity, productive work, and free work, it seems relevant to continue the sociological reflection on the art object and its economic embeddedness.